If you describe people or things as rum, you mean that they are rather strange.
[British, old-fashioned]
It was a joke, of course, but surely a rum sort of joke?
Synonyms: strange, odd, suspect, funny More Synonyms of rum
rum in British English1
(rʌm)
noun
spirit made from sugar cane, either coloured brownish-red by the addition of caramel or by maturation in oak containers, or left white
Word origin
C17: perhaps shortened from C16 rumbullion, of uncertain origin
rum in British English2
(rʌm)
adjectiveWord forms: rummer or rummest
British slang
strange; peculiar; odd
Derived forms
rumly (ˈrumly)
adverb
rumness (ˈrumness)
noun
Word origin
C19: perhaps from Romany rom man
rum in British English3
(rʌm)
noun
short for rummy1
rum in American English1
(rʌm)
noun
1.
an alcoholic liquor distilled from fermented sugar cane, molasses, etc.
2. US
alcoholic liquor in general
Word origin
short for rumbullion, orig. Devonshire dial., uproar, tumult < ?
rum in American English2
(rʌm)
adjective British, Informal
1.
odd; strange; queer
2.
bad, poor, etc.
a rum joke
Word origin
< obs. rum, good, great < ? Rom, a Gypsy: see Romany
Examples of 'rum' in a sentence
rum
Any more rum in that bottle?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Beer is a pound, local rum and cola not much more.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And drink rum just about any other time.
The Sun (2013)
Each operational patrol was also issued with one gallon of rum.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Which goes to show that sport can do rum things to nice people.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The only preservative is a good slug of brandy or rum.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
There was no bottle of rum for this wannabe sailor.
The Sun (2012)
Which means your choice of white rum is very important.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Tours of rum distilleries and sugar factories are also available.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You might like to add a slug of whisky or rum.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
All under the umbrella of networking over a rum punch or three.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
And then a rum thing took place on this site.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Mix together the mincemeat and rum or brandy.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Bet it takes place on the beach over a bottle of rum.
The Sun (2012)
But white rum works just as well.
The Sun (2014)
Just add a little rum or brandy for the adults.
The Sun (2010)
So it was that women took the lead in the campaign to refuse to buy sugar or rum.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Everyone who has watched football knows that rum things can happen in the course of a single match.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Her rum punch is also legendary.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
People would play dominoes, drink rum and dance salsa together.
Carlos Acosta No Way Home: A Cuban Dancer's Tale (2007)
I then went back to my chalet and polished off a bottle of rum in one sitting.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
For example, a cheaper hotel is more likely to use local beer and rum and return the bottles.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Add the rum, whisky or brandy, and extra sugar to taste.
The Sun (2013)
If you want to do it like a pro, take your rum mixed with local lager, which is surprisingly delicious and unsurprisingly deadly.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Word lists with
rum
spirit
In other languages
rum
British English: rum /rʌm/ NOUN
Rum is an alcoholic drink made from sugar cane juice.
American English: rum
Arabic: روم
Brazilian Portuguese: rum
Chinese: 朗姆酒
Croatian: rum
Czech: rum
Danish: rom
Dutch: rum
European Spanish: ron
Finnish: rommi
French: rhum
German: Rum
Greek: ρούμι
Italian: rum
Japanese: ラム 酒
Korean: 럼주
Norwegian: rom brennevin
Polish: rum
European Portuguese: rum
Romanian: rom
Russian: ром
Latin American Spanish: ron
Swedish: rom
Thai: เหล้ารัม
Turkish: rom
Ukrainian: ром
Vietnamese: rượu rum
All related terms of 'rum'
bay rum
an aromatic liquid , used in medicines and cosmetics , originally obtained by distilling the leaves of the bayberry tree ( Pimenta racemosa ) with rum : now also synthesized from alcohol , water, and various oils
rum toddy
a drink made from rum , hot water, sugar, and usually lemon juice
Jamaica rum
a highly flavoured rum produced in Jamaica
rum-running
the activity of smuggling illicit liquor
rum truffle
a sweet resembling an edible fungus , of the European genus Tuber , in shape, flavoured with rum
Rum Rebellion
the deposition of Governor William Bligh in 1808 by officers of the New South Wales Corps , caused by his interference in their trading activities, esp in the trafficking of rum
bay rum tree
a tropical American myrtaceous tree, Pimenta racemosa , that yields an oil used in making bay rum
bayberries
any of several North American aromatic shrubs or small trees of the genus Myrica , that bear grey waxy berries : family Myricaceae
bayberry
any of several North American aromatic shrubs or small trees of the genus Myrica , that bear grey waxy berries : family Myricaceae
Chinese translation of 'rum'
rum
(rʌm)
n(u)
朗姆酒 (lǎngmǔjiǔ)
(adjective)
Definition
strange or unusual
(British, archaic)
It was a rum sort of joke.
Synonyms
strange
There was something strange about the flickering blue light.
odd
Something odd began to happen.
suspect
Delegates evacuated the building when a suspect package was found.
funny
There's something funny about that pair.
unusual
rare and unusual plants
curious
A lot of curious things have happened here in the past few weeks.
weird
I had such a weird dream last night.
suspicious
two suspicious-looking characters
peculiar
She has a very peculiar sense of humour.
dodgy (British, Australian, New Zealand, informal)
queer (archaic)
If you ask me, there's something queer going on.
singular (old-fashioned)
He was without doubt a singular character.
shonky (Australian, New Zealand, informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of curious
Definition
unusual or peculiar
A lot of curious things have happened here in the past few weeks.
Synonyms
strange,
unusual,
bizarre,
odd,
novel,
wonderful,
rare,
unique,
extraordinary,
puzzling,
unexpected,
exotic,
mysterious,
marvellous,
peculiar,
queer (informal),
rum (British, slang),
singular,
unconventional,
quaint,
unorthodox
in the sense of funny
Definition
peculiar or odd
There's something funny about that pair.
Synonyms
peculiar,
odd,
strange,
unusual,
remarkable,
bizarre,
puzzling,
curious,
weird,
mysterious,
suspicious,
dubious,
queer,
rum (British, slang),
quirky,
perplexing
in the sense of odd
Definition
unusual or peculiar
Something odd began to happen.
Synonyms
unusual,
different,
strange,
rare,
funny (slang),
extraordinary,
remarkable,
bizarre,
fantastic,
curious,
weird,
exceptional,
peculiar,
abnormal,
queer,
irregular,
uncommon,
singular,
uncanny,
outlandish,
out of the ordinary,
freakish,
atypical,
freaky (slang)
Nearby words of
rum
rule something out
ruler
ruling
rum
rumble
rumbustious
ruminate
Synonyms of 'rum'
rum
Explore 'rum' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of peculiar
Definition
strange or odd
She has a very peculiar sense of humour.
Synonyms
odd,
strange,
unusual,
bizarre,
funny,
out-there (slang),
extraordinary,
curious,
weird,
exceptional,
eccentric,
abnormal,
out-of-the-way,
queer (archaic),
uncommon,
singular,
unconventional,
far-out (slang),
quaint,
off-the-wall (slang),
outlandish,
offbeat,
freakish,
wacky (informal),
wacko (slang, old-fashioned),
outré,
daggy (Australian, New Zealand, informal)
in the sense of queer
Definition
dubious
If you ask me, there's something queer going on.
Synonyms
strange,
odd,
funny,
unusual,
extraordinary,
remarkable,
curious,
weird,
peculiar,
abnormal,
rum (British, slang),
uncommon,
erratic,
singular,
eerie,
unnatural,
unconventional,
uncanny,
disquieting,
unorthodox,
outlandish,
left-field (informal),
anomalous,
droll,
atypical,
outré
in the sense of singular
Definition
unusual
He was without doubt a singular character.
Synonyms
unusual,
odd,
strange,
extraordinary,
puzzling,
curious,
peculiar,
eccentric,
out-of-the-way,
queer (archaic),
oddball (informal),
atypical,
wacko (slang, old-fashioned),
outré,
out there (slang),
daggy (Australian, New Zealand, informal)
in the sense of suspect
Definition
not to be trusted or relied upon
Delegates evacuated the building when a suspect package was found.
Synonyms
dubious,
doubtful,
dodgy (British, Australian, New Zealand, informal),
questionable,
fishy (informal),
iffy (informal),
open to suspicion,
shonky (Australian, New Zealand, informal)
in the sense of suspicious
Definition
causing one to suspect something is wrong
two suspicious-looking characters
Synonyms
suspect,
dubious,
questionable,
funny,
doubtful,
dodgy (British, Australian, New Zealand, informal),